TRIBAL FARE

Travel feature for Food and Travel Magazine.
Michael Rafael and I explore a lost tribal world, meet Chief Terima, one serious granddad and find out the true value of a pig...

Paper money was only introduced to Papua New Guinea 60 or so years ago, the preferred currency being shells called 'Kina' (the modern currency is named after this shell). For those of higher status, the ‘omak’ (OH-mak)’ was used, a long necklace of small bamboo sticks in a ladder-like fashion. Each strip on the omak represents 10 pigs or 10 kina shells (a large pig may be worth 500-1000 kina), an important indication of the wearers social status. This is Chief Terima, one serious granddad, his spear is made from a human tibia and in the village skull hut, the skulls of his felled enemies are proudly displayed for all to see. "I remember exactly the time, place and reason for every enemy killed..." he said to me!

Remote and tropical, Papua New Guinea is lapped by seafood-rich azure waters and steeped in tribal traditions. Pork belly is roasted with spiritual fervour, while yams from fertile valleys and bananas, coconuts and ginger flavour the freshest feasts, here Michael Raffael and I take a bite...

Chief Terima is now in his eighties, has five wives and numerous children and grand children, Paiya Village, PNG.